Todd Dills

New speed governor: Public art on the roadways

No, it’s not a joke the Kansas DOT is playing on truckers and motorists — nor any kind of sophisticated speed trap. Click through the thumbnail of the picture at right here for a story from the Olathe News on the Kansas City Star’s website about Gastinger Walker Harden architect Joel Marquardt’s Art-n-R-Park public art project/series, of which this curious sign is part.

It sits on Roe Boulevard between West 48th Street and I-35 in Roeland Park, Kan., no doubt grabbing the attention of speed-limit-abiding drivers and scofflaws alike, I imagine. But while it might be novel on a public roadway, shopping malls and parking lots have been doing this sort of thing for years, crafting speed signs with top speed limits as low as 3 miles per hour to get drivers’ attention. I’m immediately reminded of a sign on the drive into the Opry Mills/Opryland Hotel complex off Briley Parkway in Nashville, whose 24-mph limit always left me looking down at my speedometer and, of course, wondering at the significance of the limit.

Could be a suggestion for your Congressman. Rather than require speed-limiting technology in your trucks, what if the nation just swapped out the speed limit signs every year or so with slight adjustments? Would a 69 mph sign get your attention? 71?

Todd Dills

Todd Dills is Senior Editor of Overdrive magazine and writes from Nashville, Tenn. He frequently covers business, regulatory and lifestyle topics for the magazine and at OverdriveOnline.com. His work on the “CSA’s Data Trail” series in Overdrive about the federal CSA program was awarded the highest honor in trade journalism – the “Grand Neal” – by American Business Media at the 2014 Jesse H. Neal Awards. Dills’ Channel 19 blog covers a grab bag of on-highway hearsay, owner-operator news and driver views from the roadways the nation over. His work in trucking journalism builds on a background of news feature, fiction and other creative writing and editing. Find him here at the Channel 19 blog and via his Twitter feed, or send tips to tdills@randallreilly.com or via phone at 205-907-2481.